Legal Aid Holiday Project
Every December, the Atlanta Legal Aid Society adopts local families who need help finding some Christmas joy.
“Legal Aid serves a very important purpose in our communities all year,” said SM&Ps founding and managing partner, Mary Montgomery. “They truly deserve a holiday break. But instead, they work even harder and reach out to struggling families to gift them with a merry Christmas and hopeful 2023. We, as always, are privileged to team up with them to join in this wonderful tradition.”
The clients participating are families who have been assisted by one or more Legal Aid offices or projects with a legal issue related to family stability, such as housing, education, income dependability, family law, or health care. These families are living at or below 150% of the federal poverty line and need assistance in purchasing gifts for the holiday season.
This year, the Society — with the help of SM&P and many other law firms around the Atlanta area — was able to assist 105 Families and 370 family members with gifts!
“We took our personally-wrapped gifts directly to the family,” said SM&P legal assistant, Kali Parker. “When I told the mother that we hoped they liked what we got for them, she said, ‘It doesn’t matter what we got, we are just so thankful.’”
When Kali told her children about her day of delivering gifts, her six-year-old daughter, Raelyn, expressed how proud she was knowing that her mom had helped a family in need. “This encouraged the children, including my three-year-old son, Wyatt, to donate some of their toys to children in need,” said Kali.
“Year after year,” said Cathy Waddell, a senior attorney with Legal Aid, “SM&P supports Legal Aid clients through donations and pro bono representation, but also by generously sponsoring families through the Legal Aid Holiday Project. Not only do our clients have a better chance at success in their legal matters, but they also have a more bountiful holiday because of SM&P’s commitment to the local community.”
This year, the firm matched the employee donations — a win-win for everyone involved!
